Emery — Restaurant in Mariemont

I will start by saying the servers and staff are among the nicest of any restaurant, our server was so sweet and friendly. The food is good quality, but bland, and needs a little pizazz, for the price point , small ish portions are understandable in today's environment. The atmosphere is very nice, one of the best, definitely their highlight. The service has some inconsistencies that more training would address. For the crowd they are attracting and the price, it's a necessity. The servers don't hover or overly talk which is perfect. However, they didn't offer bread service, we had to ask and we didn't even check if they charged us which would have been fine, but having to ask and then wait 20 minutes until our meal was finished because 'the kitchen got super busy' is not good. Clam chowder was flavorful but lacking in clam taste, it tasted like potato soup and too heavy on the cream. Also, the coffee we got after the meal...just plain strange. The server brought out two tiny cups, and poured from the cute stainless pot, and it filled up less than half of the tiny cups. It emptied the pot, and she walked away. She was probably too young to be a coffee drinker, but we were very confused and asked if they have more coffee. She said 'that's the way our coffee service is but I can bring you more'. This system needs to be revisited lol. One other minor, we watched the male host walk upstairs many times with new customers, walking very fast, leaving them, many older, to struggle to keep up, he seemed very unaware. I really want this to be my favorite restaurant, it has such a nice atmosphere and versatile menu, it just needs the food to uplevel a bit in flavor and combinations, and have better server training, maybe older and more experienced servers. I really want to love this place, but the other restaurants in the neighborhood and the ones in Kenwood that this same crowd goes to, including us, has the edge on service and food for the same...

Forgot my phone UGH so I have no photos of the wonderfully delicious food. On the recommendation of our outstandingly efficient and friendly server Holly, our table of four shared the whipped feta appetizer. Smooth and creamy, the feta was topped with fig jam, Fresno chilis and Marcona almonds and served with 16 Bricks toasts. What a perfect blend of salty, sweet, spicy, smooth, and crunchy. Brilliant! The Mahi-Mahi is a gorgeous dish perfectly complemented by a roasted red pepper sauce and spring veggies. Short ribs fall apart with the touch of a fork they are so tender. Accompanied by mash, broccolini, a tasty Demi-glacé, it got rave reviews. Do get the donuts for dessert. Plenty to share and served with both chocolate and caramel sauces, they are a perfect light sweet treat after dinner. We sat in the bar by a window and watched the sun set which was the prettiest thing about the otherwise plain room. But who goes for the decor?!? Note that Emery is tucked in to the right of the Mariemont theatre; easy to miss your first time there. They do have outdoor dining and free parking is available behind the building. Overall, Emery is a definite recommend! And DO get that whipped feta. UPDATE: this visit (remembered to take pics) we shared their burrata salad which was DIVINE (pictured is the split portion). The balsamic pearls take this classic to a whole new level. He always gets the short ribs which were delicious as always. I tried the crab crusted walleye. My only regret is not trying this dish sooner. Flaky, modi’s fish topped with crab? YUM. This time, fab service from Molly. Still a...

I rarely write a review but the service and experience at the Emery was so exceptional that I am compelled to do so! First, we had not made a reservation for our party of 7 and it was a Friday evening. CRAZY, I know! We were just really hoping that Covid was keeping people home and the restaurant would be able to readily accommodate us. However, upon arrival, my heart fell. The restaurant, though social distancing was being enforced, was still full and lively. I thought the hostess was going to KILL us! Not only was I asking her to accommodate seven of us without a reservation but I wanted to practically hand pick the tables since my father is a bit of hard of hearing and a noisy spot would make it difficult for him. Not only did she so graciously find us a quieter spot she did it TWICE when we discovered that the first choice would not accommodate all of us. I haven’t even mentioned the fact that she personally accompanied my parents on the elevator when we needed to be seated on the second floor! My father was so taken by her kindness that he got her name- it’s Abby, btw! Every single staff member was kind and generous of spirit- from the bartender, to our waitress to the lovely young man who accompanied us out the door at the end of the evening. I wish I had gotten all your names! And I haven’t even mentioned the food! It was terrific! I want to go into my menu selection but this is getting WAY too long! If you’ve even read this far- just know it was an outstanding experience-service, food, atmosphere, location. I loved it!...